There seems to be an effort to mischaracterize Tom Suozzi’s positions on the issues affecting the Jewish community and Israel.  Let me tell you the emes (truth).

I have known Tom Suozzi since he was mayor of Glen Cove and have supported and worked with him ever since he first ran for county executive, during his tenure in that office and during his time as a member of Congress.  While I was serving first as vice chairman (2005-2012) and then as chairman (2012-2020) of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, Tom was extraordinarily committed to the success and growth of the center and to its mission of teaching the lessons of the Holocaust.

 He understood the danger of growing antisemitism and made sure the county did everything it could to ensure the existence of a strong Holocaust education institution as one critical way to prevent such growth.  I can say without any reluctance that HMTC would not be in existence today without Tom Suozzi’s devotion to the center and its cause.

From another perspective, I have worked with Tom from my positions as president of Temple Israel of Great Neck and as member of the Boards of the American Jewish Committee and the Jewish Community Relations Council on Long Island.  He gets what we feel as American Jews, our concerns about growing antisemitism, and our close connection to the State of Israel and the Israeli people.

From talking to him, seeing his actions at the county and congressional levels, his trips to Israel, it is apparent that he senses Jewishness in his kishkes.  It goes far beyond what every politician does to show affinity to all the racial, ethnic and religious groups in his or her constituency.  Tom has a genuine and true connection with, and affection for, the Jewish people and Israel.

Tom’s opponent, despite her unique and interesting background, has so far not demonstrated any true understanding of the role of, and issues facing, a member of Congress.  I have no doubt about her commitment to the safety and survival of Israel, but her performance as a county legislator and inability to articulate positions on any of the critical issues our country is facing leave little confidence ion her ability to effectively represent us.  Her voting and actions are strictly in lockstep with what Republican leaders tell her to do and she would have very little influence as a freshman Republican member from a blue state.

Tom Suozzi, on the other hand, is an experienced and highly respected former member and has the respect of members from both sides of the aisle.  He has shown no reluctance to loudly criticize Democrats who are clearly anti-Israel and even antisemitic.  He can do far more to represent the positions and feelings of the Jewish residents of the Third Congressional District than his opponent could possibly do.

So, I (speaking solely for myself and not on behalf of any organization referred to above) am urging my fellow residents of Great Neck and everywhere in our district to put aside their blind party loyalty and to think about who could be most effective to represent our concerns and promote legislation and government actions that are most important to us.

 I have no doubt that it’s Tom Suozzi.